Monthly Archives: May 2012

So today’s recipe is one of our favorites. I’m asked over and over again to share this one. So sit back, read and drool! Okay, don’t drool, you may make your keyboard seize dahling.

Now this isn’t what you would call a conventional recipe, but so far I’ve never been known to be much of a conventionalist. Believe me, if you try this recipe, you’ll be uber loved by all you serve it to. They will think you slaved for days and really you still had time to paint your toenails (okay maybe not the men, unless that’s a fancy of yours!)

COKE ROAST (yes, I said COKE!)

3-4lbs Good quality Beef Roast (Rib or Prime Rib, don’t skimp!)

Rub ingredients

1 tsp each salt and pepper

1 T paprika (sweet or smoked)

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp thyme

1 tsp mustard powder

1 tsp each onion powder and garlic powder

Worcheshire sauce (enough to cover roast)

2 cans of Coke (not imitation, do not substitute for low cal dahlings)

1 pkg good quality brown gravy mix (I’m not Martha!)

1/3-1/2 c cream

Heat oven to 425 degrees F.

First off rub the worcheshire sauce over the whole roast. Mix all dry herbs together to make dry rub. Pat generously all over the meat.

Place the roast into roasting pan with no higher than 3 inch sides (or else you boil the meat rather than a good crust).

Roast the beef for 30 mins at high temp, then lower the temp to 350 F. When you lower the temp, take the roast out and

pour the Coke around the meat. Make sure there is enough to cover the bottom of the pan fully.

Note: If the coke dries out during cooking, add more if needed.

Place the roast back into the oven and cook until medium rare. I always depend on my thermometer to help with this part!

Once the beef is cooked, remove to cutting board and ‘tent’ it with foil to rest and set the juices.

Meanwhile, in a sauce pan, add package of dark gravy mix. Strain juices and I like to use a separator to remove unwanted fat from the gravy. Add to the sauce pan, cook on medium until gravy thickens. If there is not enough dahlings, you can add water because the gravy is quite concentrated. Now add to taste cream to meld the flavours and lighten the gravy.

Today’s recipe is for those cold nights when you feel your little tootsies may just turn purple and fall off! Ok not that much drama chickadee’s, but you get my drift?

I love Lobster, but I get slightly disheartened when I see people eating only the tail and the claws then throwing the body into that bucket like it’s garbage! PEOPLE!! I love to eat lobster for hours, there are so many good hidden morsels of flesh that are probably the sweetest little tidbits of delight you could ever imagine. Alright, I get it, you think its too much work for such little amount of meat, okay okay if you must toss that lovely body with all those juicy legs and crevices, make me a deal will ya? Toss all those used shells, legs and body or whatever else you threw into that bucket to throw away. Lets make the most of that luscious and expensive garbage, k?

Next time you splurge and bring a live beauty home, please try this recipe the next day..I’m certain, my fair ones, you will love it!

Shells of 1-2 lobsters Rock or full size

Water to cover in a large stock pot (6 cups approx)

3 bay leaves, large pinch of thyme

6 cloves garlic (just bruise them dahling..no chopping necessary)

1 large onion cut in half

10 or so peppercorns

peel of one lemon

a pat of butter (ok use that leftover butter from the drawn butter last night, really..do it!)

a stalk of celery or leaves whole

1 carrot

1/4 cup White Wine (the end of that bottle from last night..or what the heck, open a new one..you know it won’t go to waste anyway!)

Salt to taste

1 cup heavy cream

2 Tbsp corn starch (optional)

1/8 cup sour cream (you’ll understand later lovey)

Okay, add all the ingredients (except cream,starch and sour cream) to the stockpot and let it come to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and let simmer for at least 1 hour. You can go do your nails, shower, play gin or better yet drink it :)_

Lift that lid off the pot..ahhh the smell is truly devine lovlies!!

Strain all the ingredients and save the stock into a smaller pot. Let it cook on medium heat until reduced to about two thirds. Now the stock is ready.

Meanwhile, if you haven’t had too much Gin or Wine, it’s time for the messy work. Once the shells have cooled enough, go through them and pull any bits of lovely lobster meat and set aside.

Back to the broth, stir in cream (reserve a few spoons of the cream). Now some like their soup thick and rich, some not so much. If you prefer your soup thicker then add some of your soup to a small cup and add in the starch. Stir to mix well and add back to the soup. Bring up to almost a boil and immediately take off the stove and stir in the lobster meat you reserved earlier. *If your soup is still not thick enough, repeat.

I like to cut corners when I can, so my quickie version of Creme Fraiche is to mix the sour cream with a bit of cream to make it a bit runny.

Ladle the soup into 4 bowls and drizzle some of the ‘Creme Fraiche” over top. Add some fresh greens like parsley or whatever herbs you may have on hand. Serve with crusty rolls. C’est Magnifique Dahlings!! Not even a drop of sweat off your lovely brow for this one and your friends or family will think you’ve turned a leaf into a super powered major chef!

Fresh ingredients and herbs bring me to a place in Northern Italy. Although I have never travelled there, it has always been my life-long dream to travel to Italy to experience the rich history, culture and food. I love to cook and use a lot of Italian and Mediterranean influences in my recipes, I can only imagine how much I could enhance my cooking ability by experiencing the real thing! Imagine flavours rich in history like the land that surrounds. Healthy, quick and low fat this recipe is perfect for a light summer dinner. Bursts of flavour in each bite will bring you back for more! Enjoy with a light white wine and crusty Italian bread.

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic crushed

1 pinch red pepper flakes

1 shallot sliced thinly

1 ounce Philly Cream Cheese (l prefer light)

2 anchovy fillets finely chopped

4 ounces arugula roughly chopped

1/4 cup fresh basil, finely chopped

1 cup mixed cherry tomatoes

1/2 cup pitted greek olives or similar

1/4 cup fresh grated parmesan

1 ground pepper to taste

1 pound angel hair pasta

DIRECTIONS

Heat olive oil in saute pan

add garlic, red pepper flakes, shallot and anchovy

saute until garlic and shallots are translucent on med heat

add cream cheese and continue to cook on low until flavours combine and sauce is rich

stir in Arugula, basil, tomatoes, and olives stir only to coat

cook angel hair pasta until al dente, strain

add pasta to saute pan and toss ingredients together until well distributed. If required, add a bit of the pasta water

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